Category Archives: Vocabulary Intermediate

Ravage

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huge mess, ravage(s), debris Click to listen
[noun]
[de ra-va-ge, de ra-va-ges]

DomUtrecht "Ravage" is the mess resulting from destruction or demolition. Typically it is also used colloquially for a huge (physical) mess in general. Once a bookshelf topped over in my apartment; the result was a 'ravage'. So not necessarily there is real debris involved 🙂

Note that in 'ravage' the 'g' is pronounced as 'zj', as is the case with "lekkage".

Examples:
– "Moet je dat zien, wat een ravage!" – "Nou, ik vind het wel meevallen hoor." 
("Look at that, what an enormous mess!" – "Well, I don't think it's that bad actually.")

– "De inbrekers hebben niet alleen mijn sieraden gestolen, ze hebben ook nog eens een enorme ravage veroorzaakt!" 
("Not only did the burglars steal my jewelry, they also created a terrible mess!")

– "Na het bombardement was het centrum van de stad één grote ravage." 
("After the bombing, the city centre was in pieces." Lit. 'one big mess'. The word 'één' is emphasized to indicate that it was 'completely' in pieces.)

– "Toen de supporters het Museumplein in Amsterdam verlieten na de verloren finale, lieten zij een enorme ravage achter." 
("When the supporters left the Museumplein in Amsterdam after the lost final, they left behind a huge mess.")

Related words:
– Puin: debris [noun] [het puin, <no plural>].
– Puinhoop: heap of rubble [noun] [de puinhoop, de puinhopen].
– Troep/zooi/bende: mess [noun] [de troep/zooi/bende, <no plural>].
– Chaos: chaos [noun] [de chaos, <no plural>].
– Opruimen: to clear out, to clean up (mess) [verb] [ruimde op, opgeruimd].
– Puinruimen: to sort things out, to clean up the mess [verb] [ruimde puin, puingeruimd].

Over de vloer hebben/komen

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to have (regular) visitors / to be a (regular) visitor Click to listen 
[Dutch phrase of the week]

Twoandahalfmen

"Over de vloer hebben/komen" literally translates to "to have/come over the floor". It is used when people visit your place (frequently). 

Examples:
– "Als Frank over de vloer komt, is er niks dan trammelant." 
("When Frank is visiting, there's nothing but trouble.")

– "Ga je mee naar het strand?" – "Nee, ik heb mensen over de vloer." 
("Do you want to go to the beach (with me/us)?" – "No, I have people visiting." Lit.: "Do you go along to the beach?")

– "Peter en Wendy hebben altijd mensen over de vloer." – "Vermoeiend…" 
("Peter and Wendy always have people visiting their place." – "Tiring…")

– "Rosalie en Pascal zijn geweldige mensen! Ik kom daar graag over de vloer!"
("Rosalie and Pascal are wonderful people! I love to go there regularly!")

Expressions:
– "Met de deur in huis vallen": to get down to business at once, to come straight to the point.

Example:
– "Om met de deur in huis te vallen: dat naveltruitje kan echt niet."
("To come straight to the point: that crop top is a no go.")

Related words:
– Komen: to come [verb] [komen, kwam, is/zijn gekomen].
– Over: over [preposition/adverb].

Example:
– "Ziet Frank die scharrel nog?" – "Nee, het is over en uit."
("Is Frank still seeing that flirt?" – "No, it's over and out.")

– Vloer: floor [noun] [de vloer, de vloeren].

Example:
– "De nieuwe keukenvloer is verschrikkelijk lelijk…"
("The new kitchen floor is terribly ugly…")

Trammelant

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trouble, hassle, fuss, fight Click to listen
Trammelant
[noun]
[de tram-me-lant, <no plural>]

There are a lot of Dutch words for 'trouble'. "Trammelant" is one. The use of "trammelant" is quite informal. See Extra for more synonyms. According to Genootschap Onze Taal (an association of devoted Dutch language lovers) "trammelant" originates from the French 'tremulant': trembling. A more formal synonym for "trammelant" would be "moeilijkheden": difficulties…

"Trammelant" can be used to refer to both the sounds or noise that is created by the trouble, and the actual trouble or fight itself. 

Examples:
– "Sander, ik kan al een week niet printen. Wat een trammelant!" 
("Sander, I can't print for a week. What a fuss!")

– "Op de kermis van Tilburg heeft een billenknijper grote trammelant veroorzaakt." 
("On the Tilburg fair, a bottom squeezer has caused big trouble.")

– "Kijk die tortelduifjes…" – "Wacht maar totdat ze getrouwd zijn…niets dan trammelant." 
("Look at those lovebirds…" – "Just wait until they're married…nothing but trouble.")

– "Doe toch niet zo onnozel! Nu lach je, maar straks is er trammelant!" 
("Don't be so stupid! You're laughing now, but there will be trouble later!" Lit.: "Don't do/act so stupid…")

Expressions:
– "In de puree zitten": to be in trouble (lit.: to be in the mashed potatoes).
– "In de penarie zitten": to be in trouble.

Example:
– "Frank is helemaal blut. Hij zit financieel echt in de penarie."
("Frank is completely broke. He's really in trouble financially.")

Extra:
Here's an (incomplete) list of synonyms for "trammelant":
Bonje, ellende, gedoe, gedonder, gelazer, heibel, herrie, kabaal, keet, lawaai, moeilijkheden, narigheid, paniek, rotzooi, ruzie, sores, stennis, stampij, and many more…

Vermoeiend

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tiring, wearying, tiresome Click to listen
[adjective]
[ver-moei-end]

4daagse "Vermoeiend" is related to "moe": tired. The verb is "vermoeien": to tire (out), to fatigue. You can also use "vermoeiend" when something is mentally tiring, i.e. tiresome, numbing, boring etc.

Examples:
– "Hoe was de vergadering?" – "O, je wilt het niet weten, zó vermoeiend!" 
("How was the (work) meeting?" – "Oh, you don't want to know, so tiresome!")

– "Ik vermoei me niet met dat soort ellenlange verhalen; ik ga liever naar de film!" 
("I don't wear myself out with such neverending stories; I'd rather go to the movies!")

– "De deelname aan de Nijmeegse Vierdaagse is vermoeiend, maar zeker ook bevredigend, tenminste, als je de finish haalt :-)" 
("Participation to the "Nijmeegse Vierdaagse" is tiring, but certainly also gratifying, if you reach the finish line that is :-)")

– "Houdt dat mens nooit op met praten, dit is zo vermoeiend!" 
("Will that woman never stop talking, this is so tiresome!" Note the use of "dat mens": derogatory for "that woman" although "mens" translates as 'human' in general.)

Related words:
– Afmatten: to tire out, to fatigue [verb] [matte af, afgemat]. "Afmatten" is more tiring than "vermoeien" 🙂
– Afmattend: tiring, knackering [adjective].
– Moe: tired [adjective].
– Uitgeput: exhausted [adjective].

Onnozel

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silly, clueless, stupid, gullible Click to listen
Onnozel
[adjective]
[on-no-zel]

Someone who is "onnozel", is a bit silly and easily tricked into believing things. A bit stupid, but in a harmless way.

Examples:
– "Dit is werkelijk geniaal!"
– "Vind je? Ik vind het een beetje onnozel." 
("This is truly brilliant!" – "You think so? I think
it's a bit silly.")

– "Alicia is altijd aan het winkelen of
aan het dromen van de ware liefde…ze
is een beetje onnozel…" 
("Alicia
is always shopping or dreaming of true love…she's a bit clueless…")

– "In tegenstelling tot Frank, ben ik niet onnozel. Hou op met die smoesjes!" 
("Unlike Frank, I'm not stupid. Stop making poor excuses!")

Expressions:
– "Zich van de domme houden": to play stupid/innocence.

Example:
– "Hou je niet van de domme, dat was een schwalbe!"
("Don't play stupid with me, that was a fake dive!")

– "Het geluk is met de dommen": You don't need to be smart to be lucky.
– "Een onnozele hals / onnozelaar": simpleton, sucker, stupid.
– "Zalig zijn de armen van geest, want hunner is het Koninkrijk der hemelen
(Matteüs 5:3)": Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven (Matth 5:3).

Related words:Forrestgump
– Dom:
dumb, stupid [adjective].

Example:
– "Je bent zo dom als je je voordoet, meneer!" 
("Stupid is as stupid does, sir!")

– Flapdrol: dweeb, idiot, loony, wacko [noun] [de flapdrol, de flapdrollen].
– Stom: stupid [adjective].